Primary battery.



Patented luly I0, |900.

E. R. POST.

PRIMARY BATTERY.

(Application filed Feb. 5, 1900.)

TNS mams PETERS' no. u1u-LINO.. WASHINGTON, n cy (No Model.)

UNITED STATES vPATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD R. POST, OF NEWBURG, NEW YORK.

PRIMARY BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 653,590, dated July' 10, 1900.

Applicationfiiedretmryj,1900. sentire. 4,018. (Numan.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD R. POST, a citizen of the United States, residing at New' burg, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Battery, of which the, following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric batteries, particularly to that class known as dry i cells; and one object of the invention'is to provide a novel construction of the positive element to permit ofits use as the outer cas,-` ing of the battery, and also providea strengthening of the element and a greater surface area without increasing the circumference.

A further object is to provide improved means for securing the wires or conductors to the battery elements, whereby better contact is secured and in a more convenient manner than with the ordinary binding-post.

The preferred form of the invention is described in thefollowing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dry battery constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross-section onthe line .fr a: of Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5, and are slight modiiicationsshowing different forms of corrugations that may be used.

In the drawings similar reference-numerals` refer to similar parts throughout the several gures. Y

The positive element, which may be any of the well-known substances used for this purpose, but is preferably zinc, serves as the casing for the cell and is designated by the numeral 10. The negative element, which is arranged centrally within the casing and projects above the top edge of the same, is designated by the numeral 11. The 'exciting material, in which the solution by means of zinc oxychlorid, gypsum, a gelatinous mass, or by any other means is made practically solid, is arranged in the casing around the negative element and isdesignated by 12. The casing 10 is provided with a flat bottom 13, which is made of the same material as the walls. A suitable non-conducting compound 14, arranged in the top, holds the negative generating power.

element in proper position in the casing and g provides a cover over the exciting material.

, The walls of the casing are provided with longitudinal corrugations 15, which 'greatly increase the surface area of the positive element, thereby allowing a greater amount of lthe exciting material to come into contact with the same, with a consequent increase of While the corrugations, asshown in Fig. 3, are preferably of semicircular form, I have shownin Figs. 4, 5, and 6 'modifications by which the same result may be obtained. Fig. 4 shows a triangular folding, Fig. 5 oval or elliptical corrugations, and Fig. 6 angular orv Grecian-chain fold.

ItWill be lunderstood that still other forms vmay be resorted to, if desired. A further and Very important advantage of providing the corrugations resides in .the rigidity and strength they impart to the casing, whereby it is enabled to withstand rough usage or accidental blows, which in the ordinary dry cell often seriously impairs or destroys its electrical action by changing the shape of the cell and causing the excitant to fall away ,from the positive element.

I am aware that it is old to provide the carbon of a wet battery in the form of a cell with corrugated walls and do not claim anyinvention therein; but my invention relates to improvements in dry batteries andpresents many advantages over a corrugated carbon element. In the first place a carbon element is brittle and is liable to fracture.v Again,

"on account of its porosity itwould permit the :rapid evaporationof the moisture, which vmust be contained .in properjpercentage in the existing material of a drybattery. For

lthis reason I construct myl battery-case of a positive sheet metal which will exclude the air, and thereby retain the moisture. I corrugate this metal to produce a greater surface, for the reason that the output of the dry battery depends upon the amount of positive element consumed, and I thereby greatly prolong the life of the battery.

The upper end of the negative element 11, which projects above the top of the casing, isprovided with a binding post or spring 16. This spring, as shown, is preferably made of a single piece of liat metal bent upon itself,

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forming two leaves 17, normally sprung together, the upper ends of which flare outwardly,forming two guiding-lips 18. Ascrewbolt 19 passes through the leaves 17 of the spring, thereby holdingthe same in place and exerting the proper tension upon the springleaves.

At the upper edge of the positive element or casing is provided a binding-spring 20. This spring is a fiat piece of metal fastened at one end in a horizontal position and conforming to the corrugations of the wall, against which it is normally sprung. The free end of this spring is bent outwardly, as at 21, and is so arranged that it forms with the corrugation a guiding-opening, by means of which a conductor-wire may be easily forced under the same. It will thus be seen that these two binding-springs form very convenient means for applying and detaching the conducting-wires and that they securely hold the same in operative contact. Ordinarily the casing 10 is provided with a protective coating or covering, which is preferably shellac, in which case that portion underneath the spring 20 will be left bared, so as to provide a good contact-surface for the conducting-wire.

I am aware that it is old in electric batteries to employ elements which are corrugated to present a greater surface area to the eX- citing material; but I am not aware that a longitudinally-corrugated zinc cylinder has ever been used as the outer shell or casing of a dry battery. A zinc cylinder in this form as the outer casing of a drybattery performs functions which could not be attained by the use of a plain cylindrical zinc shell. In the first place the longitudinal-corrugations of the zinc cylinder impart exceptional strength thereto, so as to render the same capable of withstanding rough usage oraccidental blows without seriously impairing the action of the battery. Furthermore, a longitudinally-corrugated Zinc cylinder possesses a certain degree of resiliency which will absorb or yield to the blow without tending to materially displace the excitant within the battery. .In the present invention the longitudinally-corrugated zinc cylinder also performs important functions in connection with the bottom plate 13 and the top filling 14. The said bottom plate 13 is corrugated continuously at its edge or periphery and interlooks with the corrugations of the zinc shell, thereby preventing the bottom plate from buckling away from the exciting material. Vith reference to the top filling 14 the latter is closely packed into the corrugations at the upper end of the zinc' cylinder and is protected thereby from loosening or chipping, which is a common fault in the ordinary dry cells. In the ordinary type of cells a lateral jar upon the outer case loosens up the exciting material for a considerable space and causes its separation away from the shell, besides permitting the carbon element to work loose and sometimes swing against the zinc shell and cause a short-circuiting of the battery. The present invention tends to overcome these dificulties, as the corrugations act as a clamp or binder for the exciting material to hold the latter more firmly upon the carbon, besides preventing its ready separation away from the zinc shell.

It will be understood that various changes in the form, size, and minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having now fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a dry battery, the combination of a positive zinc element in the form of a cylin= der, constituting the outer shell or casing of the battery and provided with continuous longitudinal corrugations extending from end to end thereof, a bottom plate provided with a continuously-corrugated edge received by and snugly fitting the lower edge of the corrugated cylinder and braced thereby against buckling, a top filling packed within the upper end of the corrugated zinc cylinder and into the corrugations thereof, so as to be held and protected thereby, a negative or carbon element centered within the zinc shell, and a substantially-solid .exciting material packed within the zinc shell or casing about the negative element, and into the corrugations of the positive element.

2. In a battery, the combination with the battery elements, one of which is of corrugated form, of a spring attached at one end to the corrugated element on the exterior thereof and having its free portion fitting and conforming to the shape of said element and normally sprung toward the same, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD R. POST.

Witnesses:

HARRY MoDowELL, P. SAMUEL RIGNEY.

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